The present invention relates generally to hydraulic tools and more particularly to hydraulically operated torque tools.
Hydraulically operated torque tools are known and widely used for tightening or loosening threaded connectors. A known hydraulically operated torque tool has an active part which engages and turns the threaded connector, and a drive part which drives the active part under the action of a working liquid. The drive part is usually formed as a cylinder-piston unit which is supplied with the hydraulic liquid from a source. Since during the operation the cylinder-piston unit performs a forward stroke and a reverse stroke, the working fluid must be supplied alternatingly to opposite chambers of the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston of the cylinder-piston unit. For this purpose the cylinder is usually provided with two passages having first ends which open into the chambers at opposite sides of the piston, and second ends connected by two hoses with a source of the working liquid. The connection of the second ends of the passages with the hoses is performed through swivel connectors. This swivel connector has two parts which are swivelable relative to one another so as to prevent mingling of the hoses during operation of the tool which very often resulted in mingling of the hoses in the older tools. While the swivel connector in accordance with this patent is better than the previously used swivel connectors, it does not completely eliminate the problem of hose interference with the operation during manipulations with the tool.